Multiple form assemblies are fastened in one of two ways--through temporary fastenings or permanent fastenings, and the former are generally more flexible. This invention relates to a permanent fastening which has flexibility equivalent to a temporary fastening, allowing for movement between the form parts in some directions and yet securing the form parts together along one or both margins. Relative movement between the parts of the form has many advantages which cannot be met through the use of prior art of temporary or permanent fastenings.
The carbon and paper webs are interleaved and secured together in a collating machine which often uses glue for attaching. Glue lines or spots are usually placed within the perforated margin(s) and attach a web of paper to adjacent webs both above and below to form a web assembly. Once the webs are interconnected, a collating machine or other device may perforate the continuous web assembly in a transverse direction. The continuous assembly can be folded in a zig-zag pattern along the cross perforations to provide for subsequent feeding through various autographic register machines, printers, or other business machines, and also to achieve the most efficient box-like storage.
Although temporary fastenings can be utilized in the same manner, difficulties arise since the web assembly may only remain attached for a short time and subsequently may not perform well in use with a high speed business machine. Rigid fastenings, on the other hand, do not provide the needed flexibility between sheet faces. With the advent of "distributed data processing" (decentralized data processing) and the rapid growth of the small business computer there has come a need for a more "flexible" business form that operates well with the printers of such computer systems. Typically, these printers employ a small diameter roll or platen, which carries the form. Crimped forms because of the protruding "paper tails" tend to jam in such printers. Rigidly glued forms will not conform to the small diameter platen and have trouble advancing through the printers. The flexible form does conform to the platen and operates well in the printer.